Ponoka RCMP, with the assistance of Police Dog Services (PDS), took three males into custody early in the morning on Dec. 17, following a report of a robbery at a parking lot on 54 St. on Dec. 16, in the late evening.
At 10:45 p.m., the Ponoka RCMP received a 911 call reporting that a female victim was assaulted and had her car and personal items stolen.
The RCMP attended the incident location and determined that three unknown male suspects produced a machete and smashed the victim’s car window while she was sitting in the car.
The males took cash and items from the victim, assaulted her, demanded her car keys and started to drive away. When a helpful citizen intervened by yelling, the males fled on foot, leaving the stolen car behind.
PDS attended and an initial track did not lead to the male suspects. Ponoka RCMP members continued to patrol the area.
At 12:30 a.m., the RCMP located the suspects in Centennial Park. The males again fled on foot, but the concentration of RCMP members in the area and the quick response by PDS led to the capture and arrest of the three male suspects.
Cole Gerald Cattleman (23) of Samson First Nation and Anthony Saddleback (32) of Montana First Nation are jointly charged with six criminal charges including robbery with a weapon, assault with a weapon, theft, et. al. Each accused is also facing two other charges relating to breaches.
The 13-year-old male youth is facing seven criminal charges. He has been released on an Undertaking to attend Youth Court.
Judicial interim release hearings have been held and Saddleback has been released with conditions. He is scheduled to appear in court in Ponoka on Jan. 15, 2021. Cattleman is scheduled to appear on Dec. 22, 2020 in Wetaskiwin Provincial Court.
“This event was another great example where timely and pertinent assistance provided by the public supported our officers,” said Sergeant Erin St-Cyr of Ponoka RCMP.
“Information and surveillance video enabled our members to locate and apprehend these three male suspects before the situation escalated or evolved into something with a far more dire outcome.”
- Submitted by Ponoka RCMP